Okonomiyaki is a dish made by mixing flour and dashi soup, placing various ingredients on it, and baking it on an iron plate. Similar in shape to pizza, but softer than pizza.
There are different types of Okonomiyaki depending on the region, but “Kansai-style Okonomiyaki” and “Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki” are famous. Originally eaten as a snack by the common people, it has evolved into a dish since 70 years ago.
What is Okonomiyaki and can I eat it?
Materials of Okonomiyaki
Wheat flour, sugar, salt, dried bonito, cabbage, and other ingredients
| with Beef | with Pork | with Egg |
| Restaurant | Convenience store |
Kansai style and Hiroshima style are two major Okonomiyaki
About 100 years ago, Japanese people baked wheat flour dissolved in water and ate it with Western-style sauce as a snack. It is said that this is the root of okonomiyaki.
After that, what was baked with various ingredients developed as a light meal for the common people. Therefore, the ingredients and how to make them differ slightly depending on the region.
All they have in common is that the dough is made by dissolving flour in water, baking it on an iron plate, and using finely chopped cabbage.
Here, we will introduce the typical Japanese okonomiyaki “Kansai-style Okonomiyaki” and “Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki”.
Kansai-style Okonomiyaki
Kansai refers to the area centered on Osaka. Okonomiyaki, which has been eaten in Kansai for many years, is Kansai-style okonomiyaki. We will explain about “Buta-tama which is a typical menu. By the way, “Buta-tama” means okonomiyaki with pork and eggs.
First, make a dough that mixes flour, yam flour, dashi stock, and water, then add chopped cabbage and raw eggs and stir well. Make it round on an iron plate and bake it. Place the pork on an iron plate, turn over the round shape, place it on the pork from above, and bake it. Eat with sauce, green laver, pickled ginger, etc.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki, which has been eaten in Hiroshima for many years, contains yakisoba (Chinese noodle), unlike the Kansai style.
Spread only the dough in which wheat flour is dissolved in water on an iron plate and bake it, then put shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, etc. on it, turn it over and bake it. Bake Chinese noodles and beaten eggs separately in another place on the iron plate, and finally stack the dough, vegetables, meat, Chinese noodles, and thinly baked eggs in that order from the bottom.
Eating with sauce, green laver, pickled ginger, etc. is the same as Kansai style.
Try to eat Okomomiyaki!
How much ?
$ 8～20
Where can I eat Okomomiyaki ?
Okonomiyaki specialty restaurant
Precautions when eating Okomomiyaki
For gluten-free people
The main ingredient of okonomiyaki is wheat flour, so please do not eat it. Some okonomiyaki specialty stores offer okonomiyaki using rice flour
The main ingredient of okonomiyaki is wheat flour, so please do not eat it. Some okonomiyaki specialty stores sell gluten-free okonomiyaki made from rice flour as frozen food.
For Muslims
Okonomiyaki is a dish that often uses pork. Some okonomiyaki does not contain pork, but please note that the cooking utensils are commonly used.
Japanese writer’s comment for Okomomiyaki
Okonomiyaki can only be eaten at okonomiyaki specialty restaurants. That’s because a large iron plate is necessary to cook. Entering a specialty restaurant, ordering and eating may be a high hurdle for first-time users.
In such a case, try the okonomiyaki sold at the chilled food section of a convenience store. It taste less than freshly baked, however you can eat it for 1/2 to 2/3 of the price you eat at the restaurant. At the time of purchase, it will be warmed in the microwave. But I don’t know if it’s always on sale at every store.
